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Juan Soto effortlessly wears the pinstripes for the New York Yankees and clearly has an appreciation for the area and fans, making a Bronx return seem like a logical choice. The 2024 American League champions will have serious competition, however, as another historic bidding war appears imminent.
Although teams cannot officially negotiate contract figures with the All-Star outfielder, they are permitted to check in with him. And that is exactly what they did after Soto and the Yankees' season came to a crushing end on Wednesday night, courtesy of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
“Word is that within two hours of the Yankees losing the World Series to {Shohei} Ohtani’s Dodgers in their Game 5 debacle, eight rival teams checked in with interest, and by Thursday morning, the number was up to 11,” the New York Post's Jon Heyman reported.
Soto is expected to command an eye-popping $700 million in free agency, and unlike Ohtani, the 26-year-old will probably not defer a large chunk of his salary. Hence, he has a great chance of becoming the highest-paid MLB player of all-time by winter's end.
Will the Yankees win the Juan Soto sweepstakes?
Although they are well-removed from the George Steinbrenner era, the Yankees do not often lose a bidding war for a top-tier talent they truly covet. They have yet to engage in one with the Steve Cohen-owned New York Mets, however. The hedge fund king's first attempt to buy a championship failed miserably in 2023, but he should be compelled to open up his checkbook once again after a surprise National League Championship Series appearance. The Mets are among the teams that have already inquired about Soto, per Heyman.
The MLB's new champions might also have the financial means to lure the Gold Glove finalist away from the Yankees, specifically because of the aforementioned deferred Ohtani deal. A slew of other franchises, as Heyman already alludes to in his report, should be in the mix as well, at least in the initial stages. When the list of contenders are whittled down, though, common sense would indicate that the Yankees, Mets and Dodgers are left vying for the four-time Silver Slugger's services.
Based on his comments after World Series Game 5, Juan Soto seems ready to be the belle of the ball this offseason. Such a sentiment could make the Bleacher Creatures uneasy, but they should not expect anything less. A young star with elite plate discipline who batted .288 with 41 home runs and 109 RBIs in the regular season while also excelling in the playoffs is often going to max out his market value.
Aaron Judge took a discount in order to keep wearing the Yankee pinstripes, but there is no guarantee that Soto's heart will similarly lead his decision-making process in 2024. Ownership might have to be more traditional in its approach and simply offer the Dominican Republic native the biggest stack of green.
